


A Slice of Life

by Jbee



Series: Gates of Askr: Year One [23]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-05
Updated: 2020-06-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:42:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,268
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24555628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jbee/pseuds/Jbee
Summary: Sakura and Sothis have stumbled upon a private wedding celebration. Ignoring Sakura's pleas to leave, Sothis convinces the young priestess to use this party as a way to conquer her fears of meeting new people.
Relationships: Sakura/Python
Series: Gates of Askr: Year One [23]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1703545
Kudos: 5





	A Slice of Life

**Author's Note:**

> This series is a collection of short stories driven by the FEH Subreddit Weekly Writing Prompts. First published June 1, 2020. "Love is in the air, as two Heroes are betrothed to one another."

Sakura traced the embroidered fabric of the omamori with her finger. Inside, it held a prayer to bring her love and companionship. She stared at the small charm, only half listening to Sothis chat away beside her while they walked through the castle hallways.

So much had change since she arrived in Askr. She had watched her friends and family grow and form bonds with other heroes. Some of them had even fallen in love over the years with plans to start their lives together. Of course she was happy for them, but there was a small part of her that wanted what they had. She couldn’t help but wonder if she would ever experience that emotional bond here.

“And what do we have here?” Sothis stopped in front of a sign place at the entrance of the gardens.

Sakura tucked the omamori she was holding into the small hidden pocket of her dress. “Oh there seems to be an event in the garden.”

“An event!?” Sothis exclaimed, her eyes grew wide with excitement. “How wonderful!” she said as she entered the gardens.

“Sothis no!” Sakura cried out after her. “It’s a p-private event!” she could feel her cheeks grow warm, she was nervous to chase after her friend, but she knew she had to stop her. “Sothis!” she called out, as she chased the reckless goddess.

The two women entered the small courtyard. Heroes of the Order filled the small space and they all had their attention directed at the front of the yard. A beautiful bride and groom reciting their vows, both prominent figures of their own worlds, their crowns sparkled in the light. None of the guests noticed Sakura and Sothis enter from the back.

“A wedding!” Sothis whispered to her friend, she smiled ear to ear.

“W-we shouldn’t be here.” Sakura whispered in her friend’s ear, as she tugged at her regalia. “P-please…”

“Hush now. You worry too much!” Sothis interrupted Sakura, with a furrowed brow. “It’s not every day you witness a King and Queen unite in such a grand union! Is it not beautiful?” she sighed.

“Y-yes, it is…” Sakura agreed, just as a cheer erupted through the crowd. The newlyweds embraced and then made their way to the reception tent. Guests followed the couple or lingered within the courtyard, chatting amongst themselves. “Maybe we can stay for a bit, I would like to see them dancing.” She blushed, imagining what it would be like to be in the bride’s shoes, twirling around in a beautiful dress. Sakura’s heart jumped when she noticed Sothis walking fearlessly towards the large tent. “Where are you going?!”

“To the party!” Sothis exclaimed, without a care in the world.

“No we mustn’t!” Sakura pleaded with her friend, “People will n-notice we don’t belong!”

“Oh stop it Sakura! You know you want to!” Sothis stopped to confront the shy priestess, “Besides, think of all the desserts that are just waiting for you to eat them!” she whispered to Sakura, giving her hand a squeeze.

“Desserts?” Sakura’s eyes widened, and her mouth began to water. “Well, there are a lot of heroes here.” She said, looking around. “Maybe we can blend in.”

“Exactly! There’s nothing to be scared of.” Sothis cooed, squeezing past the reception line, and stopping at a long table with all sorts of gifts on it. “You know; this is a really good chance for you to gain some confidence.” She said to Sakura, plucking one of the gift cards off a large box and writing her name on it before casually putting it back. “I know you Sakura, you would never stand on the sidelines of the battlefield, yet you insist on not taking part when it comes to your own social life.”

“That’s different…” Sakura looked away, her eyes drifting towards the young couple. They were both so brave and heroic. An inspiration to their people both on and off the battlefield. True royalty, she wished she could be more like them.

“Charms and prayers can only present you with opportunities, you must still be the one to reach out and take them!” Sothis lectured Sakura as they moved to the buffet table. Cakes and small confectionaries blanketed the surface.

“I didn’t think about it like that.” Sakura replied, she found a slice of fluffy red cake that had been plated and picked it up. She turned back to her friend who was already on the move again. “Wait! Where are you g-going?” Sakura tried to call out without bringing attention to herself, but it was too late, Sothis was already across the dancefloor where the band was located.

_“You there!”_ Sothis barked at the composer. _“You dare to call this music?”_

Sakura looked out at of the sea happy guests as she tried to find an empty table to sit at. _No!_ she thought, _change starts with me!_ She looked down at the slice of cake she was holding, _this is my opportunity to sit with someone new!_ Sakura looked out again, biting her lip and spotted a table with a few knights enjoying their share of sweets too. She took a deep breath, and prepared to take her first steps towards changing her life.

“Genny!” a voice from behind called out. “I knew you’d turn up sooner than later!”

“Eeeek!” Sakura cried out as a hand roughly came down on her back, dropping the plate she had been holding. Her heart skipped a beat when she looked down to see her slice of cake land bottom-side-up on the ground.

“Crivens!” the young man exclaimed, when he realized the mistake he had made. “I thought you were someone else, with the hair and your… shortness.” He tried to explain, looking down at the startled priestess and then at the fallen dessert. “eh, jeez let me get you another slice!”

“Oh, um, t-thank-you. But you don’t have to…” Sakura stuttered, as she knelt down to clean up the lost sweet with a napkin.

The young man bent down to help, as he introduced himself. “Don’t worry about it, the names Python. So you know the bride?” He asked her, when they stood up.

“Eh, y-yes!” Sakura squeaked, as she followed Python back to the buffet table.

Python raised an eyebrow, “Funny, I thought I knew everyone from Valentia.” He said picking up the cake slicer and a plate. “I don’t think I have ever met you before.”

“D-did you say bride, oh I thought you meant groom…” Sakura tried to backpedal on her original answer, she could feel her cheeks growing warm again.

“OhI see, so you’re from Fódlan?” Python continued to pry, reaching for the cherry cheese cake.

Sakura swallowed hard and nervously nodded her head. “A-ah huh.”

He smiled and cut through the cake. “That’s strange. Seeing that the groom is from Archanean.” Python told her, “I’m going to take a gander and guess you don’t know either of them.”

_He knew all along I shouldn’t be here_ , Sakura realized, “A-are you going to kick me out?” she nervously asked.

“No.” Python laughed, “I’m not going to kick you out of the party. I don’t care.” He shrugged, and handed her the plate, “Anyways, here’s your cake.” He said before he walked away.

“T-thanks.” Sakura stuttered, she looked down at the plate. The creamy white cheese base smothered in bright cherry sauce. One of her favorite desserts since coming to Askr, and a slice that was double the size of a single serving. Sakura was excited to try this treat out, then she remembered her goal before being interrupted by Python. “Hey! Do you w-want some?” she asked, with a new found courage.

Python stopped and walked back to Sakura, squinting his eyes when he looked down at her. “You’re not going to ask me to dance or anything, right?” he questioned her.

“N-no!” Sakura exclaimed, shaking her head. _Why is he making this harder than it should be_ , she thought to herself, _it’s just cake?_

__

“Okay then.” Python shrugged again, and walked over to some empty chairs against the back of the tent, an opening nearby allowed for a slight breeze to come in. “So what made you want to crash this party?” he asked sitting down in the one of the wooden chairs. “I mean you don’t even know them, why bother?”

“Mmm my friend dragged me into it. She said it would be good for me…” Sakura trailed off digging her spoon into the cake, “She doesn’t think I get out enough and meet new people.”

“She sounds like a pain in the ass.” Python scoffed, settling back in his chair. “You should do what you enjoy, forget what anyone else thinks.” He shrugged, as he continued, “If you didn’t want to come, you should have told her to stuff it.”

“Oh no. I couldn’t do that.” Sakura shook her head, removing the spoon from her mouth. “Besides, I kind of did want to come.” Sakura looked up and smiled as she watched the happy couples dancing. “The bride and groom are quite lovely together.”

“So You’re one of those romantic types?” Python leaned over, picking up the extra spoon on the plate. “Gah it’s all a bunch of phooey if you ask me. If I didn’t enjoy myself a good scandal, I wouldn’t even be here today.” He told her cutting into the slice and spooning away a large mouthful. “Those two getting hitched only just proves my point that there’s no such thing as a “one true love.” He sneered raising the spoon to his mouth, “Just a matter of what pond ya fish in.”

Sakura watched Python shovel a ridiculous amount of cake into his mouth. “In a way, I think you’re right.” she said, spooning her own large helping into her mouth.

“Wait,” Python mumbled in surprise, “what?” he slowly removed the spoon, shocked at her response. “Not many ladies would agree to something so… unromantic.”

“No, just listen.” She turned in her seat towards him, “Heroes from all walks of life come here and meet when they never would have.” Sakura explained, she was beginning to feel more confident in herself. “My friend Soren once told me that the heroes that come to Askr live a different life then what they would have lived if they had stayed in their own world. They connect with different people, work through different problems, some even get a second chance.” She smiled and brought the spoon topped with a glistening cherry to her face, “So it’s not hard to believe that someone could have more than one person that’s right for them.”

Python smirked at Sakura, “Or maybe this new path just leads them to the one right person that they never would have had a chance to meet outside of Askr. Another of life’s cruel jokes…” he laughed.

Sakura giggled while she swallowed her mouthful. “But then you would be flipping on your stance and saying that people really _do_ have a “one true love.” She pointed out.

“I…well…” Python stumbled over his words again, caught off guard by Sakura’s response.

_“STOP HER!”_ a Archanean knight cried out among the gasps of the crowded dancefloor. Sakura looked over to see Sothis bounding over to where they sat, knocking over chairs in her path.

“Stuff the cake in your pocket dear, time to go!” Sothis cried out pulling Sakura out of her seat by the arm and grabbed a handful of cake, shoving it into the small pocket of Sakura’s dress.

“Sothis!” Sakura recoiled back, pulling her arm away, “What did you do!?” she demanded to know reaching into her pocket and pulling it inside out. The messy glob of cake dropped to the ground with a soft splat, and Sakura groaned when she looked at the red cherry stain on her dress.

“Nothing of course! Now say your goodbyes child!” Sothis cried, running out the back opening of the tent.

_“THERE!”_ another knight shouted out _. “STOP HER!”_

Sakura gasped when she saw the large knights begin to make their way over to the back of the tent. “Oh! Thank-you for the cake!” she quickly told Python, bowing slightly before chasing after Sothis across the garden.

Python watched the two party crashes make their escape into the castle while being chased off by the overzealous knights. He chuckled to himself as he stood up from his seat. He began to walk back over to join his company, but something on the ground caught his eye. He bent over and picked up a small fabric pouch with an elaborate design, sowed shut and lined with a decretive cord. Walking over to his group, he brushed off the cake crumbs and traced the embroidered fabric with his finger.

“Hey Python, who was that?” Lukas asked, noticing the archer had returned.

“I don’t know…” Python told him, tucking the curious item in his breast pocket, “but maybe I should find out.” He shrugged and they both turned when they heard loud cheering coming from dancefloor. “Crivens!” he exclaimed when he caught a bundle of flowers that seemed to fall out of the sky.

“Something tells me it will be sooner than later!” Lukas laughed at Python, amongst the sad moans coming from the crowd of heroes that turned to see who caught the bride’s bouquet.

Python felt his cheeks grow warm as he looked at the delicate pink and white flowers, they reminded him of the conversation he just had with the party crashing priestess. _Damn it,_ he thought to himself, as he groaned loudly, “Why me?”

End.


End file.
